Undeclared Future
by Hope Falls
Summary: Alyssa has entered the Tough Enough III competition, due to a promise she made her dying mother. She has her own reasons for joining the competition, unbeknownst to the other competitors. Will she be able to carry out her mother's wish? complete
1. Chapter 1

Undeclared Future  
Chapter One (1/?)  
Written by: Jen  
Genre: Drama/Romance  
General rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the WWE, their families. I do not own Tough Enough, nor am I affiliated with it. However, the characters that I create and the story lines that I fabricate are mine. Please do not  
use them. If you want to use my story on your site, or anything of the sort, please contact me first. I am not affiliated with anyone in the WWE,  
I do not know them. I am simply a fan.  
  
Distribution: If you want to use my story on your website, please contact  
me before posting it.  
  
-------------------------------------------  
  
Dark brown tresses were slowly moved from the young woman's view. Idly, she swiped the hair from her face, small portions clinging to the sweat that had gathered on her forehead. Greedily, she took several long swigs of her water bottle, before placing it on the floor, in front of her seat at the Trax training facility.  
  
Her attention was instantly focused on the man that stood before her, and the other eight remaining contestants in the Tough Enough III competition: Al Snow. As in the two previous seasons, he was the head trainer. Much of the rest of the trainer's roster had changed, though. Now, the other trainers included: the Undertaker, Ivory, and Goldust. However, the Undertaker had been absent from training in the competition since three days after the final thirteen were chosen. It had been a family emergency.  
  
"Alright," Al began, his eyes scanning over the seemingly spent adults, perspiration spread over their bodies like an epidemic; visually like a second layer of skin. "Good job today, guys. Overall, you did. pretty well. But, some of you are going to need to step it up tomorrow morning for training. Tomorrow night is our next cut, so be ready to be taken to the next level." Everyone was silent for a short moment, before one of the remaining nine spoke.  
  
"So, what? Are we gonna wrestle in hula skirts or something?" Micah inquired with a slow grin crossing his lips.  
  
Al smiled amusedly, as Ivory laughed silently, and Dustin Rhodes shook his head. "No. Naked." He told him simply, shrugging in a nonchalant manner, feigning indifference to the matter. "Be at Trax at 7:00 on the dot, guys. Early will be considered on time. Lateness will not be tolerated." Accusatory eyes landed on Laura for a short moment, before he continued. "And before I forget, Mark will be back tomorrow. Be ready to show him what you've got to offer." With that, Al dismissed them, and watched the group slowly rise from their seats.  
  
Alyssa drew in a deep breath, bending over to pick up her water bottle before making her way to the girl's locker room. Mark Callaway, the Undertaker. He would be there tomorrow. And, unlike most of the group, she had more weighing on impressing him than just her career. He was the entire reason she had joined the competition.  
  
She pulled open her locker, letting out a slow breath, pulling dirty clothes out, and placing them in her bag before slowly zipping it. Alyssa sat down on the bench, her eyes closing slowly in remembrance. Her promise, her sole reason for being here.  
  
She couldn't break a promise. She couldn't break this vow.  
  
"Promise me, please promise me. you'll do everything you can to get to know him. To let him know." Her mother had pleaded, life inside of her slowly diminishing. And she'd said the words. She'd promised. Her mother's last wish.  
  
"I promise, Mama. I promise I'll try." Alyssa whispered, placing a tender kiss on her forehead. "I love you."  
  
That night her mother had passed in her sleep.  
  
"Alyssa?" Riley spoke slowly, snapping her fingers, trying to get her attention as she had been dazed for several minutes.  
  
Instantly, Alyssa blinked as a voice intruded upon her last moments with her mother. "Huh?"  
  
"Are you alright?" She spoke, her blue eyes filled with concern.  
  
Alyssa mustered a smile, before nodding at the question, although that was the farthest thing from the truth. Her heart was pounding, she felt it in her throat. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just ready for a night's sleep, I guess." And, with a nonchalant shrug, she rose to her feet. Ending the discussion, but not Riley's concern for her. 


	2. Chapter 2

Undeclared Future  
Chapter Two (2/?)  
Written by: Jen  
Genre: Drama/Romance  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the WWE, their families. I do not own Tough Enough, nor am I affiliated with it. However, the characters that I create and the story lines that I fabricate are mine. Please do not  
use them. If you want to use my story on your site, or anything of the sort, please contact me first. I am not affiliated with anyone in the WWE,  
I do not know them. I am simply a fan.  
  
Distribution: If you want to use my fiction on your website, please e-mail  
me first, requesting my permission.  
  
-------------------------------------------  
  
Alyssa sat on her bed, several notebooks splayed about, one opened to a journal entry from when her mother had first been diagnosed with cancer. She let out a quiet laugh as her fingers trailed over a picture of her mother that she had pasted on the page. She didn't look sick. She could've sworn there were no warning signs, no symptoms. But she knew there were.  
  
They'd both just looked past them.  
  
"What are you doing?" Laura spoke slowly, intruding on the moment that she was having. She closed her eyes shortly. She was in a house, with eight other people, but wasn't it a general courtesy to knock before entering someone else's room? She sighed.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Obviously you're doing something." She continued to press as she crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"And obviously it's none of your business." Danny spoke from the door with a raised eyebrow, having been watching the way Alyssa tensed around Laura. She got to them all.  
  
Laura scowled, her nose wrinkling in distaste at his intrusion. "We were just talking, Danny. Bonding, even."  
  
"Oh really?" Danny grinned slowly at her.  
  
"Really." Alyssa spoke after a long moment, looking up from the notebook and speaking, her eyes twinkling slightly, for the first time in weeks. "I was about to bond her mouth with super glue."  
  
"I have some in my dresser." He trailed off slowly, unable to fight the smile that had worked its way on his lip.  
  
"You two aren't good for each other." Laura stated suddenly. "Not at all." And with that, she left the room.  
  
"Thanks for saving me from. that." Alyssa laughed quietly as she looked down.  
  
Danny simply shrugged his muscled shoulders. "No problem, we all know what it's like to be under Laura's wrath." He laughed softly before sitting on the bed beside her.  
  
Alyssa nodded. "You're right." She stated softly, chewing on her lip slowly as she closed her notebook. "Nervous about dinner tonight?" She asked him softly. Tonight, the contestants would go to dinner with the trainers, and immediately following their meal, they would make their cut.  
  
"No, I'm not nervous. I don't think that I'll be leaving. And if I do, then it was just that time for me. It won't be the end from me."  
  
Alyssa nodded again. "Wanna know something?" She felt a smile creep across her lips slowly. "I hope it's Laura." At her statement, they both laughed and she shook her head. "You better go so I can get ready to go. I'll see you at dinner."  
  
********************  
  
Through the majority of the dinner, Alyssa remained silent, slowly picking at her food. Her stomach was churning. She let out a slow breath, pushing the food around in circles with her fork.  
  
"Should the cook be offended?" Al asked her before she mustered a small smile, slowly shaking her head.  
  
"Then eat." Mark spoke, his deep tone leaving no room for disagreement. She ignored the tone completely. He must be used to people scrambling to complete any demands that he should have.  
  
"I'm not hungry." She shrugged minimally, glancing over at Danny for a short moment and then back at Mark as he began to speak again.  
  
He shrugged his shoulders slowly. "I'm not your father, so I won't press."  
  
Alyssa simply bit her lip before picking up her glass and taking a small sip of the Sprite. She looked around the table slowly, seeing the nearly empty plates.  
  
"You have nothing to worry about." Alyssa's roommate, Riley assured her. "You're their golden girl." She whispered before the two girls laughed softly, Alyssa slowly shaking her head.  
  
"Golden girl? I don't think I'd agree right there." She continued to smile amusedly, looking up when she heard Big began to speak. Silently, she placed her fork down on the near full plate of food.  
  
"I think you all know what I'm up here to tell you." He began, his eyes scanning over them slowly. "It's time for us to tell you who we've cut. As this competition goes on, each cut is more difficult, because you're all improving and you all have a unique talent within yourselves. Without further ado. Al." He smirked lightly at Al, who laughed softly.  
  
"Of course, you couldn't spare me the honor could you?" He shook his head slowly, obviously amused before speaking. "Alright, guys, instead of dragging this out I'm just going to tell you who's going to be packing their bags when we get back from dinner: Laura, it's been great having you. but, you just didn't have what it takes. I'm sorry."  
  
Alyssa's eyes slowly moved to Danny's; forcing herself not to grin in thanks of her soon to be absence. Finally. She was leaving. She'd been nothing but a nuisance lately. She definitely wasn't sorry that she was leaving.  
  
*******************  
  
"What was that?" Mark spoke, his tone one of disbelief.  
  
"That was a-" Alyssa's forehead instantly creased as she was cut off by the large man of 6'10".  
  
"No. What was that?" He shook his head in disapproval as he stepped over the top rope and into the ring with the girl who had a much smaller frame than he. "There was nothing behind that. There are plenty of people who would be willing to take your place. So, you either step up and put something behind your movements. Put some kind of passion and energy into it. If not." He trailed off slowly, his finger pointing directly at the exit. "The door's that way."  
  
Alyssa's jaw clenched tightly at his firm, seemingly angry criticism. And for that instant that she listened to the criticism against her, of her "lack of passion" she considered leaving. She considered walking out of the door, and leaving behind what she had promised her mother. This was the man that she was supposed to get to know. This was the man that she had promised she would meet, she promised she would try to get to know who he was. Who he really was. But it had to be honest.  
  
The fight would be worthless if everyone knew. They'd all point fingers, spout about favoritism. No. It was better if she waited. Now wasn't the time.  
  
She sighed inwardly, her neck craned slightly because Mark was standing so close to her, studying her intently. "Alright." She spoke quietly, before seeing him silently nod. Slowly, she ran a hand over the back of her neck as Al began to speak.  
  
"Okay." Al pursed his lips together slowly. "Alyssa, out of the ring. Riley you're in."  
  
Thankfully, Alyssa obliged and sunk silently into her chair, running her hands over her face, in a rough manner. How was she going to do this?  
  
She wasn't quite sure, not yet anyhow, but she was determined to figure out what role this man would play in her future. 


	3. Chapter 3

Undeclared Future  
Chapter Two (3/?)  
Written by: Jen  
Genre: Drama/Romance  
General Rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the WWE, their families. I do not own Tough Enough, nor am I affiliated with it. However, the characters that I create and the story lines that I fabricate are mine. Please do not  
use them. If you want to use my story on your site, or anything of the sort, please contact me first. I am not affiliated with anyone in the WWE,  
I do not know them. I am simply a fan.  
  
Distribution: If you want to use my fiction on your website, please e-mail  
me first, requesting my permission.  
  
-------------------------------------------  
  
"Don't you dare!" A laughed emitted from Alyssa's lips as she quickly backed away from Danny. "Stay away from me." She warned, waving a finger at him. She saw the devilish gleam in his eyes.  
  
The entire cast of Tough Enough III was down at the beach, having a cookout. They had already trained for the day at Trax, and afterwards they had all made plans to meet at the lake. The trainers included. So far, it had been easy going and incredibly normal. It was the most at ease anyone had been so far in the competition. They were enjoying each other's company.  
  
Dustin Rhodes grinned. He was standing several feet behind Alyssa. She couldn't see the twinkle in his eyes that mirrored that of Danny's. "Well, hello sweetheart." He grinned, when she was only inches from bumping into him.  
  
She jumped. Quickly, she glanced between the two men. "Okay. both of you stay away from me." Alyssa laughed shortly, her eyes quickly scanning the area around her for some kind of help. All she was met with, though, were amused smiles at her situation.  
  
Dustin's arms circled around her slowly. "No!" She let out a squeal as she was lifted off of the ground, shaking her head at Danny. "You are gonna get it."  
  
"Sweetheart, I'm not the one six feet off of the ground right now." Danny pointed out, laughing as he motioned with his hand. "Water's that way." He directed Dustin as he slowly crossed the soft, lush grass before meeting the sand that led to the water.  
  
"Don't you dare!" She warned again, wiggling on his shoulder where he was holding her. He slowly slid her off of his shoulder. She locked her arms around his neck. "Either you go in with me, or I don't go in." Alyssa grinned, a triumphant smile crossing her features.  
  
"And that's 100% fine with me." Dustin laughed, walking into the water with her. She groaned as he walked deeper into the water. "Ready?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Was that a yes?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"YES!"  
  
"Yes you wanna go in?"  
  
"No! I said no!"  
  
"Would you make up your mind?"  
  
"I said no." She repeated with a short laugh.  
  
"One.."  
  
"No."  
  
"Two."  
  
"Don't!"  
  
"You better hold your breath!" Al called from his seat, before taking a sip of his drink, watching them amusedly.  
  
"Three." Dustin smirked, seeing that she wasn't letting go, he went under the water, with her arms still locked tightly around her neck. As they resurfaced she instantly dunked him, quickly releasing and making her way out of the water.  
  
"You are gonna be so dead." She laughed quietly, pushing the hair out of her face and behind her ears. "You just wait." She shook her head slowly, laughing as he followed behind her to the table.  
  
She simply bit down on her lip. "Nice of you guys to help me out there." She raised an eyebrow slowly.  
  
"No prob." Riley laughed, looking up as she served herself and sat down at the table.  
  
"And you." She hit Danny in the back of the head.  
  
"Oww! That hurt you little witch." He let out a short laugh, rubbing his hand slowly over the back of his head.  
  
Mark smirked as he finished the burgers on the grill, letting out a soft laugh. They sure were an interesting group. And with that, he announced that the last of the burgers were done and they sat down to eat.  
  
*******************  
  
"Hey." Alyssa smiled lightly as she walked into Micah and Danny's room where Danny was sitting on his bed, sealing and stamping an envelope.  
  
"Hey short stuff." She walked over to his bed, taking the envelope from his hands before seating herself in his lap.  
  
"You up to talking?" Softly, she laid her head on his shoulder, her eyes closing slowly as she let out a breath.  
  
"Always." Danny stated, running a hand over her arm in a soothing motion. "Something on your mind?"  
  
Alyssa nodded silently, before biting her lip in thought. She trusted Danny, he was her best friend there. "Everyone's talking about inviting their folks to the house for the fourth of July."  
  
Danny nodded slowly at her words. "Yeah, if I'm still here, my mom and little sister are gonna come."  
  
"I'm happy for you." She spoke, her voice quieted as she twisted her fingers.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I can't."  
  
"You can't what?"  
  
"I-I can't invite my family." Alyssa continued to speak, her eyes focused on her fingers, unable to look at him. Her voice was almost silent.  
  
"Why can't you invite them?" Danny inquired, his voice gentle as he placed a finger beneath her chin, tilting her face so that she was looking in his eyes.  
  
"I don't have a family." She whispered, biting down hard on her lips, to keep her lip from trembling. Now, if she could keep her tears at bay she would be fine. "Not really."  
  
"How so, honey?"  
  
"My mom's-" Alyssa's eyes closed tightly for a short moment, trying to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. Letting out a slow breath, she began to speak again, her voice betraying her. It was shaky and unsure. "My mom's dead." She whispered, her voice barely there. "I don't have any brothers or sisters."  
  
"What about your dad?" He asked gently, brushing a stray tear that has slipped down her cheek.  
  
"He left my mom before I was born. She was only seventeen."  
  
"I'm sorry." Danny apologized. Alyssa nodded slightly, her eyes closing at his words.  
  
"I know you are." She attempted to fabricate a smile, but found herself unable to do so.  
  
Silently, Danny placed a tender kiss on her forehead before drawing her into his arms and against his chest. He was giving her the first true sense of support she'd felt in over six months.  
  
Alyssa's eyes closed, her arms wrapping around his middle section. And in the comfort of his arms, she cried. Letting out the first string of tears she had shed since her mother's death. 


	4. Chapter 4

Undeclared Future  
  
Chapter Four(4/?)  
  
Written by: Jen  
  
Genre: Drama/Romance  
  
General rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the WWE, their families. I do not own Tough Enough, nor am I affiliated with it. However, the characters  
that I create and the story lines that I fabricate are mine. Please do not use them. If you want to use my story on your site, or anything of the sort, please contact me first. I am not affiliated with anyone in the WWE,  
  
I do not know them. I am simply a fan.  
  
Distribution: If you want to use my story on your website, please contact  
  
me before posting it.  
  
-----------------  
  
Two weeks had passed since the night Alyssa had talked to Danny about her family-or lack thereof. They were planning a huge cookout for when all of their families visited. Alyssa found herself envying everyone else, and what they had with their families.  
  
She ran a hand through her hair slowly as she looked down at the folded paper, signing her name at the bottom. With a slow breath she slid it inside of the envelope and sealed it, slipping it into her purse.  
  
It declared her future.  
  
"You're meeting with each of us?" She asked slowly into the phone that was perched against her shoulder, talking with Al.  
  
"Yeah, today we're meeting up with you and Riley. And tomorrow with Micah, Danny, and Greg. Can the two of you be at Trax by noon?"  
  
"Yeah, we'll be there at noon." Alyssa assured him as she pulled her hair back into a sloppy ponytail, her emerald eyes scanning the room as she rose to her feet and made her way to the kitchen, putting a bagel in the toaster. "Hey Ri, go shower. we gotta be at Trax by noon." She smirked as Riley saluted her, rising to her feet.  
  
"Sir, yes, sir."  
  
"Damn straight you know your place." Alyssa laughed, turning back to the phone call. "I'll see you in a couple of hours, alright?"  
  
"Bye, Alyssa." Al laughed into the phone before hanging up, shaking his head slowly at the two remaining girls' tactics.  
  
Alyssa let out a slow breath as she took her bagel out of the toaster, buttering it. "This should be interesting..." She spoke quietly to herself after having hung up with Al Snow. A meeting with all of the trainers, most likely about their progress so far in the competition. This would definitely be an interesting day.  
  
With that, she sat down at the table, taking a slow bite out of her bagel.  
  
*******************  
  
"How'd it go?" Alyssa asked Riley as she stepped out from the room where the trainers and Riley had been for the past half hour.  
  
Riley nodded with a soft smile. "Not bad. Good luck. Look, I have to head back, I promised Micah I'd go out to lunch with him so I'll see you later. Let me know how it goes, alright?"  
  
"Of course." She smiled as she rose to her feet, walking out of the locker room and into the main room at Trax, the training room with the ring, and a circle of five chairs.  
  
Alyssa forced an uneasy smile as she approached the group. "Hey. you guys ready for me?"  
  
"Always." Ivory smiled, hugging Alyssa before she greeted the rest of the group.  
  
"Have a seat." Mark instructed, his voice firm. Silently, Alyssa obliged.  
  
"We're here to discuss you, and your progress. Talk about where you stand as far as the competition is concerned." Big explained to her as she nodded in understanding.  
  
"Okay."  
  
"You've definitely improved a lot since the beginning of this competition. You're good enough to make it to the final five contestants, obviously. You have a lot of talent, flexibility. Aerial abilities." Al listed off slowly.  
  
"Thank you." Alyssa mustered a small, nervous smile as she looked over at Al, her eyes glancing over the other judges.  
  
"You'd be very marketable, we'd easily be able to pair you with several different Superstars." Ivory commented, looking down at a mock promo shoot they had done, with pictures of her by herself and others with various other contestants.  
  
"Agreed." Dustin nodded slowly.  
  
A new voice suddenly intruded on her praises. "Very little passion." Mark spoke, his voice even, emitting very little emotion. "Sex appeal, maybe. But passion?"  
  
"I." Alyssa ran a hand over the back of her neck, a nervous gesture as she looked over at Mark.  
  
"You, what?" He raised his eyebrows slowly, as if her speaking had been uncalled for. "You have very little passion when you're in the ring. You carry through the moves. You do it well-mediocre. But you don't get that look on your face. That twinkle in your eyes. It seems that wrestling, to you, is secondary."  
  
"So I wouldn't be a good professional wrestler because I don't get a certain twinkle in my eyes?"She asked, a short laugh disbelieving laugh escape her lips.  
  
"Who wants to pay a good chunk of money to see a passionless woman in the ring?"  
  
"I am not passionless!" Alyssa defended, a guarded look in her eyes, her forehead creased in frustration. Damn him. Damn Mark Callaway for who he was.  
  
"Oh really?" Mark raised an eyebrow in challenge, leaning closer to her as he spoke. "I beg to differ."  
  
"Yeah. You would. Because you are just the epitome of passion." Alyssa shook her head minimally, muttering under her breath. "Or should I say one night passion."  
  
Big ran his hands over his face roughly, before Mark had the chance to get a comment in. "Alright, both of you get yourselves in check. We are not, and I repeat NOT here to bicker. We're here to tell her what she's doing right, and what she can improve. Not to attack her."  
  
"I'm not attacking her. And if she can't suck it up and deal. She knows where the door is."  
  
Alyssa shook her head slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? If I just walked out. It'd be a bit different than twenty years ago." She was starting to slip. She was starting to let her anger get a hold of her, and letting pieces of her past and of the truth go.  
  
"Twenty years ago?" Mark let out a slow laugh of amusement. "How would you know about twenty years ago? You were what, one?"  
  
"No. Wasn't born yet." She stated slowly, before taking the envelope out of her purse, turning it slowly in her hands.  
  
"Overall you're doing really well, Alyssa." Al assured her. "Thank you for coming." He smiled slightly at her, uncomfortable from the tension that had been created in the last few minutes.  
  
"No problem." Alyssa rose to her feet, her heart pounding hard against her chest. Silently, she dropped the envelope in Mark's lap. There was no turning back.  
  
Letting out a shaky breath, she quickly said goodbye to the remaining trainers and dismissed herself. She didn't want to be there when he opened up the envelope. "Damn it." She muttered quietly. Riley had taken the car. She clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. She'd get a taxi. Nothing could go smoothly for her anymore. It hadn't in months, why would she expect that things would now?  
  
And now, after she'd given him the envelope. Unveiled the first piece of what led to the truth, she knew things wouldn't get any easier. Not in the least. 


	5. Chapter 5

Undeclared Future  
  
Chapter Five(5/?)  
  
Written by: Jen  
  
Genre: Drama/Romance  
  
General rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the WWE, their families. I do not own Tough Enough, nor am I affiliated with it. However, the characters  
that I create and the story lines that I fabricate are mine. Please do not use them. If you want to use my story on your site, or anything of the sort, please contact me first. I am not affiliated with anyone in the WWE,  
  
I do not know them. I am simply a fan.  
  
Distribution: If you want to use my story on your website, please contact  
  
me before posting it.  
  
-----------------  
  
"He was completely out of line, Ri! Ugh." Alyssa ran her hands over her face slowly, her feet resting in Riley's lap. It was the morning after she was critiqued by the judges. Or more so, by Mark Callaway.  
  
"What did he even say to you?" She asked her slowly, her eyes resting on a seemingly stressed Alyssa.  
  
"That I was passionless. And that--that nobody wants to pay to come to a show and see a mediocre entertainer with no passion." Her jaw clenched in remembrance. "He just." Alyssa paused as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "Shouldn't he be, I don't know-trying to help?"  
  
"Maybe he was, in his own way."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Ri, I have to tell you something. About-" Her eyes closed slowly at the sound of the doorbell. "I'll get that." She told her, grabbing a french fry off of her plate, popping it in her mouth as she swung her legs off of Riley's lap and made her way to the door, pulling it open.  
  
Her heart stopped.  
  
"Mark." She spoke, her tone one of absolute surprise. "Uhm, h-hi." Alyssa pursed her lips together silently as she looked at the large man standing in the doorway. Silently, she tried to push away the anger that she as feeling for him just moments before.  
  
"Alyssa." He paused for a moment as he looked down at her. "Can I come in?"  
  
"Yeah, of course. Come in." Alyssa stepped inside, allowing him into the house that she shared with the four others. "What brings you here?"  
  
Mark slowly reached back into his jean pockets, pulling out the envelope that she had deposited onto his lap the previous day. A look of nervousness crossed her features as she saw the envelope, clearly addressed to Mark.  
  
"Oh." She whispered, her voice nearly non-existent. Alyssa bit down on her lip, watching Riley give her a reassuring smile before disappearing into her bedroom.  
  
"What I'm trying to figure out." He began as he pulled the card out of the envelope as he spoke, before his eyes landed on hers. "Is why you're inviting me to the July 4th cookout, if you know that I'm already invited, and that my family is coming."  
  
Alyssa's breath caught in her throat.  
  
"Well?" Mark felt an eyebrow raise involuntarily, wondering why she had yet to respond to his question.  
  
"I didn't have anyone else to invite."  
  
"So you invited me of all people? After yesterday, after-"  
  
"I didn't do it for you." She told him sharply, the anger in her eyes evident.  
  
"Then who did you do it for, Alyssa? I was going either way. Explain to me how you asking me has anything to do with-" He ran a hand through his short locks roughly, confusion washing over him.  
  
"I did it for my mother. But I bet you don't remember her. Twenty years can make a person forget."  
  
His forehead creased. "Your mother, I never-"  
  
"You did. You met her. You had sex with her. You got her pregnant. Surprise, Daddy Dearest." Her eyes closed for a short moment, wiping her eyes roughly as her tears filled over, swallowing back the nausea that rose in her throat.  
  
"You're trying to tell me that you're my daughter?"  
  
"Brilliant of you to understand." Alyssa crossed the room, opening the sliding glass door, gazing outside.  
  
"Look at me when you're speaking to me." Mark told her, his voice low, gripping her arm loosely and turning her around to face him. "I never got anyone pregnant. Nobody but my wife."  
  
"How easily you forget! The name Alexandra Davis doesn't ring a bell?" Alyssa's eyes remained locked on him, watching his entire body tense in realization. It was his turn to become unnerved.  
  
"She had an abortion." Mark's voice as low and quiet as he spoke but still holding the firmness that he so perfectly exuded.  
  
"She didn't have an abortion. She told you that she did, she knew what you thought about having a baby. I mean, you wouldn't want to ruin your perfect future, right? One night with a seventeen-year-old girl." Alyssa's eyes closed slowly.  
  
"I don't believe you." But how could she know about this woman that he'd impregnated twenty years ago if she wasn't her daughter? How could she carry the same last name?  
  
"Believe what you want. I did what I had to do. I fulfilled my promise. You do what you want." Alyssa shook her head silently. "I'm dropping out of the competition. Have fun." She muttered, turning to walk away as tears quickly fell from her eyes.  
  
Once again, he grabbed hold of her arm, stopping her. "No. If you're dropping out, you tell Big, Al, Dustin. and everyone else. You owe it to them. Tell them at Trax tomorrow morning. You tell them that you've decided to be a coward." His voice was unsteady as he spoke.  
  
"Well I learned from the best." Alyssa pursed her lips together, pulling her arm away from his grasp roughly, quickly entering the bedroom that he and Riley shared. "Ri." She whispered, a silent cry escaping her lips as she closed the door behind herself. "We need to talk."  
  
*******************  
  
Alyssa walked into Trax the next day, her bag slung over her shoulder, wrestling gear packed away in her bag. She simply wore a ribbed red tank top, and a pair of jeans. She was going to quit today. She was going to leave them. She was going to go home.  
  
What was home, though? Really. what was it? Was it "where the heart is"? Because if it was, Alyssa felt as though she wouldn't be there. If she left California, went back to her life in New York, things wouldn't be the same as when she had left. Her mother was dead. She had nobody there waiting for her. Nobody to go back to, to hold her in her arms and coax her when she needed it.  
  
She silently brushed the stray tear from her cheek, her arms crossed over her chest as she approached the group. She couldn't look at Danny. At least she could glance at the others, she hadn't formed a bond with them like she had with Danny. He had helped her form a true love for the sport, made her see all the great things in it. He'd helped her when she needed it. He listened to her and let her cry.  
  
He understood her. He understood where she was coming from, how she felt. He understood. God, how she wished she could stay. But she couldn't. Not with Mark. Not for that asshole of a father. Not only had he abandoned her before she was even born, but even now he denied her. He knew the truth; it was lying before him. Clear as day. He had a child, but he was too caught up in his perfect reality to see that.  
  
"Alright guys, have a seat." Al instructed as he ran a hand through his long, dark locks. "Alyssa, why don't you pull your chair up front, face everyone. From what I hear, you have something you'd like to say."  
  
"Yes, I do." Alyssa spoke quietly, dragging the folding chair across the cement floor, until she was facing the others. "This isn't an easy thing for me to say. This isn't-this isn't how I wanted this to go. This has been such an amazing experience. I've met some of the greatest people and-" She looked down silently for a moment, wiping at her tears roughly.  
  
"Lyss." Danny trailed off slowly, his stomach knotting, fearing what she was going to say.  
  
"I'm sorry guys. I'm sorry I've wasted your time, and taken the place of someone who could stick it out to the end. But I-I can't do that. There's too much involved, and. and I'm dropping out of the competition." She finished, her voice barely audible.  
  
Alyssa lowered her head, wrapping her arms around herself. She couldn't look at them. She couldn't face them.  
  
Maybe Mark was right. Maybe she was a coward. 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE talent, of their training facilities, etc, etc... I only own the characters that I have created solely for the use of this story.  
  
Distribution: Ask first.  
  
--------------------------  
  
"Alyssa."  
  
She closed her eyes tightly, shaking her head slightly. She'd recognize that voice anywhere. It was Danny.  
  
"Alyssa." Danny repeated, his voice firm as he reached out and squeezed her knee, supportively. God, why couldn't he just leave her be? Why couldn't he just not care, why did he have to be so tender?  
  
"What?" She whispered to him, voice hoarse.  
  
"Look at me." He told her softly, slipping his hand beneath hers, holding her hand as he continued to speak. "C'mon, look at me."  
  
Alyssa forced her eyes open before lifting her head, her eyes resting on his. Her heart pounded harder in her chest. It was beating so hard, so fast, she could hear the thudding in her ears. It vibrated throughout her whole body.  
  
"Why're you leaving? Tell me the truth."  
  
"Danny, this really isn't—"  
  
"Come on, Lyss. Cut the crap, alright? Forget them. I want you to look at me, and I want you to tell me your reasoning. I want you to tell me why all of a sudden, you're up and leaving." He paused, his intense blue eyes landing on hers. "You owe me at least that much."  
  
Alyssa's head dropped for a short moment as she closed her eyes, collecting her thoughts. Her stomach tightened as it slowly churned. Her throat felt raw and sore, and she had to force the bile from rising in her throat. She had to focus on one thing, one person. And that was Danny.  
  
She hadn't failed to talk to him, and tell him about her mother being dead. She had talked to him about her feelings, about how alone she'd felt. She'd told him about so much, and it was only fair that she was honest with him about this, too. Especially when it came to her leaving him in the competition.  
  
"I, uhm..." Alyssa's eyes rest on his, a slight redness working its way into her eyes, surrounding the brilliant green shade. "I can't stay here anymore, Danny. Emotionally, I can't take it. I mean I don't feel like I should be here anymore. I don't feel like I belong here anymore. All of you guys—you deserve that contract. But me? My intentions in coming here weren't to win this contract. They had nothing to do with the WWE. All they had to do with were pure, raw emotions." She ran her hands roughly over her face. What the hell was she doing? Why was she spilling everything to Danny?  
  
"I lost everything before I came here. I came here with nothing, and I came here hoping that when I did leave that I'd—I'd have something... no, someone to hold onto. To be able to say "look at this amazing thing that happened, look—I found my Dad". What a fucking fairy tale that was. What a fairy tale." Her eyes landed on Mark briefly before tearing her eyes away from his, wiping at the tears that had rolled gently over her cheeks.  
  
"You do have someone to hold onto." Danny whispered softly, taking her face in his hands, her tears becoming a silent sob as she listened to him. "You have me, you have Riley... you've met some people here who really care about you. You've found a love for a sport that so few people can truly understand. From the talks we've had—the talks that you, Al, and Dustin have had, I know you understand it. Don't let the absence of your father drive you away. Here—"He paused briefly, running a hand over the back of his neck as he slowly breathed out. "Here you have a family. People who care about you, people who love you. If you go back to New York, who'll be waiting for you?"  
  
"Nobody." Alyssa barely choked out, pulling her hand from his grip, moving to rise to her feet—to get away.  
  
"Alyssa..." He whispered, his voice soft and smooth as he kept her in the chair, wrapping his strong arms around her slowly, not allowing her to run away from her grief, from her fears.  
  
"No! Stop! Just let me GO!" She sobbed, her head falling against his shoulder, although she fought him. "Just let me go. Just let me leave."  
  
"No, I won't let you. I won't let you just leave, thinking you're alone. You're not alone. You'll never be alone again, Alyssa. Never again."  
  
Al breathed slowly, the tension in the room thick. He knew that she was going to drop out of the competition: She had called Big, and Mark had called him. He had told him about what Alyssa had told him earlier in the day. Al didn't know what to say or think. Was Alyssa really his daughter? Could she be?  
  
From the sounds of it, from the fact that she knew the woman's name, who he had impregnated he could only assume so. Nobody, not even his closest friends had known about Alexandra. And when Al looked at her, truly studied Alyssa, he could see signs of Mark in her.  
  
The dark hair, the green eyes... she didn't have his height, but there was something that linked the two together: their absolute stubbornness.  
  
"How're you alone at home?" Mark spoke into the awkward silence after a moment. "You have your mom—Alex..."  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure I do." Alyssa rubbed her eyes as she pushed roughly against Danny until he released her. "I'm sure you'd like to think everything was perfect at home." Her eyes focused on her hands, shifting uncomfortably.  
  
"You said you did it for your mother." Mark reminded her, of the Fourth of July invitation she'd given him. Alyssa simply nodded. "How did you do it for her if she isn't waiting for you?"  
  
Exhausted eyes slowly lifted to Mark's, looking at him closely. "She's waiting for me, alright. Six feet under." She told him quietly, rising to her feet, grabbing her bag from the ground, silently.  
  
"You'll be alone if you leave." Riley told Alyssa, her voice soft as she remained in her chair. "If you stay, you'll have the support of people who truly care for you."  
  
"And I'll be reminded every day of what it is that I can't have! Of what it is that every God damn one of you has! A family. You think I want to be here on the fourth? You think that I really want to be here for the family gathering, knowing that I have nobody there for me? That nobody wants to be there with me? I have no family! I'm alone, and you can't understand how that feels. You just can't." Alyssa stood, with her back to everyone as her shoulders silently shook. She wiped roughly at the unwanted tears, hearing Dustin whisper under his breath from behind her.  
  
"Damn it."  
  
The side door to Trax opened, and a tall, fit man approached, his blonde locks flowing behind him as he walked.  
  
"I'm out of here." Alyssa whispered, her chin quivering as she watched Adam Copeland walk over to the group. Quickly, Alyssa walked into the locker room, throwing her bag roughly against a locker as her eyes shut tightly. What was wrong with her? What was happening? Everything was spinning out of control.  
  
Silently, she slid down the locker, pulling her knees to her chest tightly, crying. Her life was spinning out of control. But when had it happened? When had she lost any sense of control that she'd ever had?  
  
Alyssa was tore away from her thoughts when she heard a masculine voice speak softly, but with a firm edge to it. "Alyssa."  
  
She sniffled, looking up to see Dustin. "You shouldn't be back here. It is the girl's locker room." She mumbled quietly, her eyes resting on her hands.  
  
"I could pass for a girl, couldn't I..." Dustin trailed off, mocking a hair toss, smiling playfully at her. "Girlfriend?"  
  
Alyssa barely mustered a smile. "And besides, you're a trainer, shouldn't you be, I don't know... training?"  
  
"Alyssa, primarily that's what we do, we train you guys; teach you to wrestle. But we also care about you, a lot. I know you're hurting, I know that you need reassurance. I guide you in the ring, so please, let me guide you outside of it."  
  
"You know about Mark?" She asked Dustin, slowly looking over at him, watching him closely.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"How am I supposed to go on, how am I supposed to stay here and see him everyday. Hear him—judge me, belittle my potential?"  
  
"Give up." Dustin told her before shrugging simply.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I said, give up." Alyssa's forehead creased. "I mean, he knows you can't do it. You probably can't, so you should just give up."  
  
"I can so. I'm not some weak little kid who can't hack it." Her eyes flared slowly at him, instantly filling with life.  
  
"Right. If you say so."  
  
"I do say so, Dustin! You've seen me in the ring. I've nearly beat you in the ring."  
  
"What if I was letting you win?" Dustin challenged, raising an eyebrow at the younger girl.  
  
"You weren't letting me win! I could see it in your face!" Alyssa's heart pounded hard against her chest as her adrenaline got pumping. "I could win this thing." She growled at him, a passion in her face that Dustin had never seen before.  
  
Dustin's eyes twinkled. "So go prove him wrong." And with that, Dustin rose to his feet and walked out of the room, allowing Alyssa to change for practice.  
  
And she walked out of the locker room, with her head high. She'd be damned if she let Mark get the best of her. She would prove him wrong. He wouldn't see it coming.  
  
Only she knew the true potential that lie within her. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE talent, of their training facilities, etc, etc... I only own the characters that I have created solely for the use of this story.  
  
Distribution: Ask first.  
  
--------------------------  
  
Alyssa re-approached the ring-side area at the Trax training facility, sending Dustin a grateful look. If it wasn't for Dustin, and his coaxing assurances, she'd be on her way to the airport to leave California. She would have given up on wrestling, her friends, and more importantly—herself.  
  
If she had left California and went back to New York, she would've had to face some things that she knew she wasn't ready to deal with, such as walking into an empty apartment. As soon as her mother had died she had busied herself with other things, so as not to actually deal with the pain that it caused. The one person that had been there for her, unconditionally since the day she was born was now gone. It was painstakingly hard to even attempt to fathom the thought.  
  
Her mother was gone.  
  
But her father wasn't. Or her biology, as she had always referred to him as. He was alive and well, in the same room as her. He might not believe her and support her, and to be honest that wasn't what was most important anymore. She would've loved his approval, but that was in the past. She had people that would support her. She didn't need him. She'd lived for nineteen years without him, why would she need him now?  
  
She'd prove him wrong, though. She'd show him what she was capable of. She'd show them all.  
  
Alyssa pursed her lips together, sliding into the seat that had been put back beside Danny. Their eyes were all focused in front of them where Adam Copeland, more commonly known as Edge was speaking. From what she picked up, he was talking about the heart and love for the business, and that without a true love and commitment to the WWE, that you'd be miserable.  
  
"You really have to love the life. Not many people can understand it, let alone live it. But if it's in your heart, and it's your dream—you can do it. I think all of you guys here know that. You made it this far, and if it's what you truly want, keep trying and you'll succeed."  
  
Everyone listened intently to the superstar, for a long while. After he had finished talking, everyone slowly dispersed.  
  
"I'm glad you're staying." Danny whispered softly before placing a soft kiss on her cheek. "I'm gonna go talk to Ri, I'll see you back home."  
  
Alyssa smiled. "I'll see you there." With that, she ran a hand through her hair. She didn't want to go back to the house yet, though. After her discussion with Dustin—she wanted to prove something. To work towards the talent that he was so sure she had within her small frame.  
  
She chewed on her lip nervously for a moment before approaching Dustin, Adam only a few feet away, talking to Mark. "Dustin?"  
  
"Hey..." A slow smile crossed Dustin's lips. "What's on your mind?"  
  
"I was wondering if you were busy." She spoke, looking down at her hands momentarily before looking back up at him. "Because I was hoping that maybe you could stay, and train with me for a while."  
  
"All I had to do was drop Adam off." He paused for a short moment before waving Adam over.  
  
"Hey." Adam smiled as he approached the two. Lord, be still her heart. That smile was enigmatic.  
  
"Hey man." Dustin smiled. "You think Mark or Al can drop you off?"  
  
Adam shrugged slowly at the question. "I'd think so, why?"  
  
"Alyssa wanted me to stay for a while, to help her train. You don't mind?"  
  
"No, I don't mind." Adam paused for a long moment, twisting the cap off of the water bottle that he held in his hands. "Do you mind if I stay? I wasn't going to do much of anything when you dropped me off." He shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Feel free to stay." Dustin smiled, watching the few remaining people leave. Now it was Just Alyssa, Dustin, and Adam. He made her nervous—he seemed so untouchable. And who knew, maybe he was.  
  
*******************  
  
"When does your family come in?" Alyssa asked Danny, before moving the fork to her mouth and taking a small bite of her pasta.  
  
"They come in on the third... which is... what, Thursday?" Alyssa nodded with a mouthful of food, chewing as she looked over at him. She swallowed before speaking.  
  
"You're getting all antsy I bet."  
  
"Isn't he always?" Riley grinned slowly, her eyes twinkling in a way she'd never seen before. She glanced between the two, studying them closely. She was just seeing things. There was no way. Not them.  
  
Alyssa pushed the food around on her plate slowly before hearing the doorbell ring. "I'll leave you two alone." She felt a small smirk cross her lips. Danny and Riley's eyes met instantly, the nervousness evident. They were! She bit down on her lip before making her way to the front door and pulling it open.  
  
"What a pleasant surprise."  
  
"I knew you were secretly in love with me." Al grinned.  
  
"I wasn't talking about you." Alyssa teased as Al, Dustin, and Adam walked in. Adam was in town until the end of the week, and would be coming to the cookout with the rest of them. He seemed like a good enough guy.  
  
"Why don't you guys come in?"  
  
"Because you're coming out."  
  
"I am?" Alyssa let out a short laugh at the blatant statement.  
  
"Yes, you especially. But the rest of them can come if they want." Al shrugged slowly, standing at the door with Dustin and Adam.  
  
"Okay, what do I need to wear?"  
  
"Not that." Adam spoke up, letting out a soft laugh as he slowly shook his head at her ensemble. She was wearing a pair of torn up jeans and an oversized University of North Carolina sweatshirt.  
  
"Charming." Alyssa grinned slowly at him, her eyes glistening.  
  
"Don't you know it." Adam winked at her. With a soft laugh, she slowly shook her head and made her way towards her bedroom.  
  
"Where are we going?" She called over her shoulder, before sticking her head out of the bedroom, craning her neck to look at them.  
  
"Just get dressed." Dustin stated, smirking from where he stood. And with that, the bedroom door closed behind her. 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE talent, of their training facilities, etc, etc... I only own the characters that I have created solely for the use of this story.  
  
Distribution: Ask first.  
  
--------------------------  
  
"I just love how they're so specific on where we're going." Alyssa spoke under her breath with a small laugh as she fingered through a few different dresses in her closet, chewing on her lip for a short moment. Riley grinned at her from the other side of the room.  
  
"Look who you're talking about. Are they ever specific about anything?"  
  
"Well, come to think of it..." She let out a slow laugh, moving past the dresses and pulling out a pair of fitted black pants. "No." Alyssa stated, searching for a top to wear with the outfit. "Do you still have that light blue shirt?"  
  
"Here, honey." Riley took the shirt off of its hanger and tossed it to Alyssa. "Hey, Lyss..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What do you think of Adam?"  
  
"I don't know." Alyssa laughed slowly as she finished dressing, smoothing her hand over her partially bared stomach, before walking to the mirror and pulling her hair back. "What am I supposed to think of him?"  
  
"C'mon, girl. Talk to me." Riley smirked slowly, mocking Alyssa. "And I quote... 'charming'."  
  
Alyssa laughed, applying a quick coat of lip gloss. "Are you ready to go?" She let out a laugh, starting for the door and looking over her shoulder at Riley who nodded and followed behind her.  
  
"Why, hello sexy ladies." Dustin grinned playfully as the girls joined the guys in the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, Dustin." Alyssa kissed his cheek loudly, as Riley paired up with Danny.  
  
"Did the two of you take long enough?" Al asked, letting out a laugh and taking a step back as Riley smacked his arm.  
  
"Since I'm not appreciated I guess I'll just change back into my jeans and stay here..." Alyssa trailed off with a laugh, turning to walk back towards the bedroom.  
  
"I think not." Al laughed, quickly sliding an arm around her waist to keep her in place. "You're going." He motioned for the door with a laugh. "Now."  
  
"Somebody's slightly bossy." Alyssa smirked at him as she raised an eyebrow and started for the door.  
  
"Yes, yes I am." Al stated as he followed behind her. "And I can be." He added as the group left together.  
  
"Hold up." Alyssa stopped instantly, letting out a quick laugh as her eyes went from one built man to the next. "Who's driving?" Her eyes remained on Dustin as he spoke up.  
  
"You're coming with me, Adam, and Greg. Riley's going with Danny, Al and Micah." Dustin explained. Riley and Alyssa both shook their heads at the arrangement, laughing to themselves as they climbed into the two separate cars.  
  
"I don't know if I like this." She stated with a laugh as she sat back in her seat and buckled.  
  
"Then you're a very intuitive girl." Adam laughed from where he sat in the back seat with Greg. The two grinned at each other.  
  
"What have I gotten myself into?" Alyssa simply laughed into her hands, slowly shaking her head.  
  
*****************  
  
"So, does anyone want to explain to me why I agreed to come with you?" Alyssa spoke as Dustin turned into a long, paved driveway.  
  
"Because you love us?" Greg suggested with a shrug, and a small laugh.  
  
"No, no. That definitely can't be it." She grinned widely at him. "Trust me on that one."  
  
"Because you were left no choice?" Dustin laughed, pulling the key out of the ignition, and sliding his keys into his pocket.  
  
"Now that just may be the one..." Alyssa paused for a long moment as she looked out of the window. "Care telling me where you've kidnapped me to?"  
  
"Sure thing, sweetheart." Adam smiled over at her. "We're at Oscar's place."  
  
"Oscar?" She raised a confused eyebrow as she glanced at the beautiful house before them.  
  
"Rey Mysterio's place. Better?" Dustin laughed softly as he watched the confused look on her face slowly disappear. Alyssa nodded.  
  
"Much. But... why're we here?"  
  
"He's having a little July 4th party. A bit premature, but..." Dustin told her with a small shrug as he unbuckled his seatbelt.  
  
"Yeah. Little." Adam smirked as the group climbed out of the SUV. Alyssa shook her head slowly, carefully pushing her hair behind her ears, as the wind had blown it out of place. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, smiling softly to herself. This place was absolutely beautiful.  
  
"Little?" Alyssa whispered to Adam with a laugh as the four of them entered the house, being greeted by Oscar. "You have a beautiful place."  
  
Oscar smiled back at her, genuinely. "A beautiful place for beautiful ladies."  
  
Alyssa simply laughed, shaking her head slowly. "I'm just going to put this out there. Is there a course ya'll take on sweet talking?" She raised her eyebrow playfully.  
  
"No." Dustin whispered, his lips against her ear as he slid an arm around her waist and led her inside. "We're just that charming."  
  
"Yeah, okay." Alyssa rolled her eyes with a soft laugh as she was being led across the room to a group of guys. Including Mark Callaway. Alyssa took a deep breath before slowly withdrawing from Dustin. "I think I'm gonna go get a drink." She told him with a small smile.  
  
"You alright?"  
  
"Yeah, fine. You go talk with your friends, though." She told him, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. And with that, she walked away.  
  
*******************  
  
Alyssa straddled the chair, as she had been for the past forty-five minutes. Her green eyes wandered around carefully, studying people. Her eyes landed on Mark again, she shook her head slightly before taking a long swig of the beer in her hand. She set it down on the table, running her fingers carefully around the rim.  
  
"So, tell me... what's a beautiful girl, such as yourself doing sitting all by herself?"  
  
"Beautiful?" Alyssa laughed quietly to herself. She paused for a short moment, closing her eyes and then re-opening them, the alcohol now just beginning to take effect on her. "I just felt like being alone, I guess..."  
  
"Should I leave?" Alyssa shrugged as her eyes finally met his, taking in his features, and realizing who he was. It was Matt—Matt Hardy. Matt seated himself beside Alyssa, smiling softly at her. "Wanna know what I think? I think you're a girl that could use some company." He spoke smoothly, resting his hand on top of hers.  
  
Alyssa simply let out a small laugh, shaking her head as she chewed on her lip. She took the last sip from the bottle before putting it down and frowning slightly. "Wanna know what you can do for me?" She asked him suddenly, turning to look at him.  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"Get me a drink?"  
  
Matt saluted her with a soft laugh before walking away to get her a drink. Alyssa closed her eyes as she ran her hands over her face, letting out an uneasy breath. "How many does that make?" He spoke from behind her, running a hand softly down her back.  
  
"Mmmh..." Alyssa slowly lifted her head. "That would be lucky number four." She smiled back at him before patting the seat beside her. "Join me?"  
  
"Sure thing, sweetheart." Matt sat down beside her, watching as she began her drink. "Tell me about yourself."  
  
"There's not much to tell." Alyssa shrugged her shoulders slightly. "Uhm... my name's Alyssa. I'm nineteen..." She spoke slowly, closing her eyes for a minute, her body relaxed. "I'm in the Tough Enough competition."  
  
"Well, you have my vote." Matt whispered softly, his eyes closing as he placed a finger against her cheek, turning her to face him and placing a slow kiss on her lips. Alyssa returned the kiss before pulling away, and pushing her hair behind her ears slowly.  
  
Her entire body tensed, her jaw clenching as she heard a voice from behind her. "Matt, you don't mind if I borrow her for a bit, do you?"  
  
Matt's eyes raised to meet Mark's intense, no-nonsense gaze. He shook his head slowly. "No, man... she's all yours."  
  
Alyssa's forehead creased slowly as Mark grabbed a hold of her arm, pulling her from the chair and leading her across the room. "You're conducting yourself really well."  
  
"Bite me."  
  
"Nice manners." Mark's eyebrows rose slowly. "Maybe next time you—"  
  
Alyssa pulled her arm roughly from Mark, her body unassisted now, accidentally bumping into Dustin. "Sorry..." She mumbled before forcing herself to her feet, her eyes locking on Mark's. "You need to mind your own business, ok? It's my life. I do what I want, when I want and you have no say over that."  
  
"Oh, so I have no authority?"  
  
"None." Alyssa confirmed, an angry edge to her voice. "You blew that chance."  
  
"This has nothing to do with what we talked about the other day. Nothing. I am one of your trainers, and you owe me that respect."  
  
"Respect? You're talking respect?" Alyssa couldn't help but let out a laugh at his words. "I owe you nothing, and you certainly haven't deserved my respect. As far as respect, you have none from me." She growled at him, stumbling every few steps. "Sorry 'bout that..." She mumbled, sitting back down next to Matt.  
  
"Matt, sorry to cut this short, man." This time she heard Al's voice behind her, and she shook her head slowly.  
  
"Leave me alone, Al. I'm having a good time."  
  
"Fun's over, I'm taking you home. C'mon." Alyssa's arms crossed over her chest slowly, her forehead creased. She watched Matt rise to his feet and meet up with a couple of guys, as Al took his seat.  
  
"I don't need to be told what to do, Al. I'm not a child." She spoke, taking her beer back in her hand, staring at it.  
  
"I never said you were a child." Al paused for a moment, taking the beer from her hand and setting it aside. "I'm your trainer, sweetheart. I care a lot about you. I also know this isn't how you normally act." Alyssa chewed on her lip slowly as he spoke. "You're upset, and so you're drinking. We've all done it. But now it's time for you to head home, and face up to it."  
  
"Face up to what?"  
  
"Life."  
  
Alyssa simply stared at the floor, shaking her head slowly.  
  
"Alyssa, don't make me do this the hard way. I don't want to make a scene." Her eyes slowly met his. "One way or another, you're going home. You've had far too much to drink, you're going to do something you regret. So you either walk out of here with me, or you get carried out."  
  
Alyssa rose to her feet silently, glaring at him. How dare he try to control her life. How dare he actually put her in a position like that.  
  
She silently climbed into the car, with Al following. Dustin and Greg were already in the car waiting. Alyssa crossed her arms silently over her chest, as far away from all of them as she could be at the moment.  
  
"Look, Alyssa—"  
  
"Don't." She growled, glaring out the window. Dustin shook his head slowly, looking over his shoulder at her.  
  
"We'll be talking to you tomorrow about everything. Tonight, you need to sleep off that alcohol." He spoke, his voice not angry, but firm.  
  
Alyssa nodded silently at his words, her eyes closing as she curled up as much as she could in the seat. And with that, Dustin slipped the keys in the ignition, and began the drive home. 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE talent, of their training facilities, etc, etc... I only own the characters that I have created solely for the use of this story.  
  
Distribution: Ask first.  
  
--------------------------  
  
Alyssa groaned quietly, hearing a soft knock on the door the following morning. "Mmm—wha'?" She murmured, forcing her eyes open for a short moment before re-closing them.  
  
"Hey sweetheart." Danny spoke softly, as he pushed open the door, and walked over to her bed. "You're not lookin' too good." He spoke softly before offering a glass of orange juice and a few aspirin. "Here."  
  
Alyssa mustered a small smile, sitting up in her bed, leaning back against the headboard and taking the aspirin that he'd offered. "Thanks, Danny." She spoke, her voice soft and still sleep-filled. "I was really stupid last night."  
  
Danny shook his head slightly. "You were trying to work through your own stuff, in your own way."  
  
"With alcohol?" Alyssa shook her head slowly. "Danny, I know better. I do. I know better than to do that. I just—"She let out a heavy sigh.  
  
"Sweetie, we should've been there for you. Talking to you and not letting you drink that much. We should've been watching out for you."  
  
"Danny, I really appreciate that you care about me... but it's my fault." She ran a hand over her face slowly.  
  
"Are you in the mood for something to eat?" Danny looked down at his watch for a short moment before his eyes landed on hers. "Big, Dustin, Al, and Mark are gonna be over in about a half hour."  
  
"Great." She whispered quietly, emitting a small, barely there breath. "Just great."  
  
"They want to talk to you about last night. Dustin, Al, and Mark were there, and Big thinks he needs to be here to hear both sides of the story."  
  
"I just—I hate that it's like that." Alyssa spoke quietly, slowly lifting her eyes to his. "If it had been a different party, if I had gotten plastered there. If I'd been anywhere else doing that, I wouldn't have to face up to them. I just don't see how it's fair that simply because they were there that there's going to be a freakin' meeting about it."  
  
"Because—"Danny began before pausing for a short moment. "They're looking at—"  
  
Alyssa shook her head quickly, hearing the doorbell. "They're early." She whispered quietly before carefully rising to her feet and pulling her hair sloppily into a ponytail. "Could you fend 'em off for a minute so that I can at least change out of this?" She motioned slowly to the pajamas that she had been wearing.  
  
"Yeah." Danny placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you out there in a couple minutes." And with that, Danny disappeared into the other room.  
  
"Oh, if this isn't gonna be a fun day." She whispered quietly to herself, letting out a heavy breath. She quickly slipped out of her pajamas and into a sweatshirt and a pair of loose jeans. After taking a couple more sips of her juice, she made her way out of the bedroom, her eyes scanning over the four older men.  
  
"Hey Alyssa." Dustin spoke softly, his eyes resting on her, a tired look on his face.  
  
"Hi guys." Alyssa spoke, forcing a small smile as she slid her hands into the back pockets of her jeans.  
  
"Have a seat." Al motioned to the couch where he was sitting, with Dustin on the opposite side; Big and Mark both sitting in separate chairs, facing them. Silently, Alyssa obliged and sat between the two men. "We're here to talk to you about last night. About everything that happened: about your behavior. Big thought that it was important for us to bring it up."  
  
"Alright." Alyssa nodded slightly, her head turned so that she was looking at Al. "I don't know what it is exactly, that you'd like me to say..." She spoke softly before looking down at her hands.  
  
Mark lifted his eyes so that they were resting on hers before speaking. "Why do you think that any of your behavior last night was acceptable?"  
  
"It's not—it's not about my behavior being acceptable." Alyssa began, forcing her eyes to lock on his. "It's about my behavior being human. I—I've been dealing with a lot of issues. We all know what I'm talking about." Her voice began to shake and she instantly looked down. "Maybe I went about dealing with it the wrong way, but I'm not perfect, and I never have claimed to be."  
  
"Alright." Mark paused for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Everyone is human, I can understand that. And I truly don't care for your reasoning to why you were drinking. But to drink so carelessly without making sure someone had your back. There are things that happen at those parties—"  
  
Alyssa instantly shook her head as she listened to his words. She couldn't take this. She couldn't. He was sounding like... a father. "Please. Don't speak to me as though I'm child. I know how to take care of myself. I don't need you to speak to me as though—"Shit. She had to close her mouth. She had to stop running her mouth before she lost check of her emotions altogether.  
  
"Look at me." Mark spoke slowly, watching Alyssa lift her head, her reluctance obvious. "As though what?"  
  
Alyssa glanced at Al, and Dustin for some sort of help and found herself with none. Her eyes landed back on Mark's. "I'd rather not discuss this. I don't see why this has been blown up into a huge issue."  
  
"You made yourself look horrible in front of several men in our business, and you think that we're blowing this out of proportion? You are making us seriously doubt how you will look to the press, to the fans. Either we have this discussion with your cooperation, or... there's going to be a lot for us to consider without your help. Now what were you going to say?"  
  
Alyssa chewed on her lip, pinching the bridge of her nose, hoping to keep her tears at bay, looking to Al once more for help, and hearing him speak softly and with a seriousness to his tone. "Talk to him."  
  
"I was going to say..." Alyssa began in a whisper, continuing. "I don't need you to—"  
  
"Look at me." Mark reminded her, his tone not angry, but with the steady firmness that it always seemed to hold.  
  
Alyssa gulped before lifting her eyes slowly to his, her voice cracking as she spoke. "I don't need you to speak to me as though..." Her eyes closed shortly and she wiped at her tear quickly, finishing what she'd been struggling with saying. "... as though you are my father."  
  
Mark sighed heavily, running his hands over his face. "I thought we'd discussed this."  
  
"I don't know the entire situation." Big spoke up after a moment, looking between the young girl, and the visibly older man. "But I think this is something that needs to be worked out. Talked out."  
  
Dustin looked over at Alyssa finally, seeing the tired look on her face, knowing that it wasn't only from her over consumption of alcohol the previous night. Knowing that things had been wearing on her for sometime know. "Why did you feel like you had to do all that drinking?"  
  
"Is this really a necessary conversation?" Alyssa spoke, her eyes landing on his. "You all know about what happened with my mother. You know about the situation between Mark and myself. You know that I've been stressed, and frustrated with things simply from the competition. I don't see why it needs to be talked about."  
  
"Because obviously not talking isn't working." Dustin spoke, his voice soft.  
  
"I'm fine. I talked to Danny this morning." Alyssa shrugged her shoulders lightly. "I'm fine. I'd really like to get showered and things before everyone starts showing up for the picnic today."  
  
Al looked down at his watch. "Alright." He obliged with a small nod. Al's eyes locked on Alyssa's. "No drinking today for you, understood?"  
  
Alyssa nodded minimally as she rose to her feet and whispered. "Understood." She turned to walk away, and paused for a minute, her eyes closed. "Th—thank you for caring enough... to take the time and talk to me. It means a lot." She whispered, and with that, she disappeared down the hallway.  
  
********************  
  
"You know, you've really got me thinkin' that you wished I hadn't come." Adam spoke from behind her with a grin.  
  
Alyssa turned her head to look up at him, smiling slowly. "That's not it at all. I was just..." She trailed off slowly before shrugging.  
  
"You were just sitting alone away from everyone else?"  
  
"Pretty much." Alyssa nodded with a soft laugh. "Just sorting my thoughts out and all."  
  
"Will a Sierra Mist help you with the sorting?" Adam asked her, seating himself in the chair beside hers at the small table.  
  
"Yeah, I think it just may." She grinned slowly at him. "Thanks for all the help." Alyssa let out a soft laugh, slowly shaking her head.  
  
"No problem." Adam smiled over at her. "Did you have fun last night at Oscar's?"  
  
"Uhm..." Alyssa ran her hands over her face slowly at the question. "Well, to be honest... I-- a lot of not so great stuff went on last night." She explained carefully. "I mean the party was cool and all, just some personal stuff."  
  
"Everything alright?"  
  
"Nothing I can't handle." She assured him with a slow smile, pulling her hair back and putting it in a ponytail.  
  
"As long as everything's alright." Alyssa gave him a nod before taking a long swig of her soda. "Hots and burgers are ready!" Al announced loudly.  
  
"Let's get you something to eat." Adam smiled, pulling her chair out for her. Alyssa smiled gently as she rose to her feet, walking with him to the grill.  
  
She took a deep breath before swallowing the lump in her throat. There he was, Mark Callaway. And his family. His family. How was she going to do this? How was she going to stay strong and smile, pretend this meant nothing to her? It was simple. They were leaving her no choice. 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE talent, of their training facilities, etc, etc... I only own the characters that I have created solely for the use of this story.  
  
Distribution: Ask first.  
  
--------------------------  
  
"So are you a hot or a hamburger?" Adam asked her with a soft laugh, handing her a plate.  
  
Alyssa thanked him for the plate as she laughed at him, shaking her head slightly. "Neither, I'm not hungry." She glanced out of the corner of her eye, watching Mark with his wife, Sara.  
  
Adam raised an eyebrow slowly at her. "Uh... burger." He told Al with a small nod once he was in front of Al.  
  
"And for the lady?" Al asked, smiling at her.  
  
"Nothing, thanks..." Alyssa shrugged her shoulders slowly, pushing her hair behind her ears.  
  
"That's not how it works." He explained with a soft laugh. "You have to pick. Or I'll cry." Al told her, pouting at her for dramatic effect.  
  
"Al..." Alyssa's nose wrinkled slowly. "I'm really not hungry. I'm just gonna have some fruit and then head inside." She gave Al a quick smile before walking past him and putting a few slices of orange, and strawberries on her plate.  
  
"Kevin." Alyssa's eyes closed slowly at the stern, fatherly tone of Mark. "You apologize to Sara, and you sit down and eat." He instructed. Alyssa smiled slightly at the mumbled apology of the young boy. That was her younger half- brother... and to a point, she found herself envying the young boy and his older brother, Gunner.  
  
"Alyssa? Alyssa..." She blinked rapidly, quickly bringing herself back to the present.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Are you alright?" Adam asked her with a slightly raised eyebrow, studying her intently. Alyssa simply nodded. "Mark said to bring you over to eat with everyone else. C'mon."  
  
Alyssa tried swallowing the lump in her throat, but simply felt it grow at the attempt. Silently, Alyssa nodded, following behind Adam, standing uncomfortably behind him.  
  
"Alyssa, Adam... sit down." Mark invited, smiling up at the two. Alyssa mustered a smile for effect, before seating herself at the table, looking down at her plate quietly. She chewed on her lip for a short moment before picking up a strawberry and taking a bite out of it.  
  
"Alyssa, you haven't met my family yet, have you?" Alyssa simply shook her head as she looked up at him. Silently, she placed the strawberry back on her plate. She was beginning to feel repulsed.  
  
"This is my wife, Sara... and my two sons, Gunner and Kevin."  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you all." Alyssa spoke quietly, rising to her feet a moment later. She couldn't take it. She couldn't take sitting there so civilly with him a moment longer.  
  
"Where're you going?" Adam spoke as she rose to her feet.  
  
"Oh, I—uh, just to get a drink, is all." Alyssa's eyes closed tightly as she spun on her heels and quickly approached the house. She was so glad that they'd decided to have the barbeque at the Tough Enough house. If they hadn't, she wouldn't have been able to at least attempt an escape. At least now she had a fighting chance.  
  
Alyssa closed the sliding glass door behind herself before quickly making her way down the hallway, and directly to the bathroom. "I'm gonna be sick..." She mumbled quietly as she dropped to her knees, wiping roughly at the tears that had been threatening to fall down her cheeks for the last few minutes. Alyssa's eyes closed tightly, feeling the wave of nausea rise in her throat.  
  
"Isn't this great?" She muttered to herself a long moment later as she rose to her feet. She flushed the toilet with a sniffle before rinsing her mouth out, and lightly rinsing her face. Alyssa let out a slow breath, sturdying herself with the sink.  
  
"Not feeling well?" She heard a deep, masculine voice from behind her, in the open doorway to the bathroom.  
  
Alyssa turned around, crossing her arms over her chest, her eyes locking angrily on Mark's. She was sick and tired of this act of his. She was tired of playing along, acting as though this really wasn't tearing her apart inside. "Fuck you, Mark."  
  
Alyssa pushed roughly past him, walking a few steps until Mark grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back to him, firmly. "Care to repeat that?" He raised an eyebrow slowly at her.  
  
"No thanks, I don't. I think you heard me loud and clear, didn't you, Mark?"  
  
"Why is it that you have to screw up every good thing that happens to this group?" Mark challenged her, studying her face closely.  
  
"Let go of my arm." She growled quietly, roughly pulling her arm out of his grasp. "And what, exactly is it that I've screwed up for everyone, Mark? Huh? Why don't you explain to me what these things are that I just seem to... compulsively do?"  
  
"Everyone is having fun out there. You always have to create tension out of nothing!"  
  
"They're having fun out there, which is why I came in here ALONE! I came here to get away, and no matter how hard I try I can never get away because either you or Al or—someone has to get in my face. And if you think this anger is out of nothing—"Alyssa paused for a short moment, forcing out a laugh. "Then you're dumber than I ever imagined."  
  
Mark's jaw visibly clenched. "You're really pushing it, Alyssa. You're straddling the line, and in a moment there'll be no turning back."  
  
Alyssa's forehead creased angrily. "You really think I care right now? Do you think that your threats mean anything to me right now? Be serious, Mark."  
  
"Do you want to know what I honestly think?"  
  
"No, what do you honestly think, Mark? Humor me here." She raised her eyebrows slowly at him. Honestly, what did she have to lose?  
  
"I think that you're upset about your mother. Your upset that your mother died, and you had no other way to take out your anger than—this. Than picking one person to vent it out on continuously, and I just so happened to be the luck of the draw."  
  
"You actually think I'm that fucked up, that I would just make this up? Make up the fact that I know you're my father?"  
  
Mark simply shrugged his shoulders at her question. Alyssa let out a slow laugh. "What other explanation is there for this?"  
  
"What other explanation is there? You're going to stand there and ask me what other explanation there is?!" Alyssa ran a hand roughly through her hair, angry eyes on Mark. Angry, upset eyes, nearly spilling over with tears. "The explanation that I'm going to give you is the truth, whether you want to believe it or not, Mark. You are my father. My mother told me you were my father when I was thirteen. We used to—"She closed her eyes slowly for a moment, quickly wiping at her eyes. "I never wanted to pursue a search. I never wanted to meet you, to have contact with you. But it was her wish. It was her dying wish that I come and meet you, come and meet the other part of my family.  
  
"So I did. And that is the truth. I didn't make this up; I'm not a cruel person like you are trying to hard to believe. I'm not here to tear apart your family, as much as you want to believe that. I'm came here to find my father, and that's all."  
  
Mark let out a slow breath, watching the young girl cry. He closed his eyes slowly. What if she was his daughter? What if Alexandra really hadn't gotten an abortion as she'd convinced him she was going to twenty years earlier? "How is it that I'm supposed to be so sure of you?"  
  
"Al didn't know. Dustin didn't know. Big didn't know. Nobody knew. Nobody but you, and my mother. It was a secret. If it wasn't true, how would I know that she was a one-night thing, and when she came back, telling you that she was pregnant... you panicked, you demanded that she have an abortion? She knew how important it was to you that you were given the chance to be a wrestler. Your responsibility was secondary, but she took responsibility; she raised me, Mark, for nineteen years. Maybe it's your turn to take responsibility." Alyssa's eyes locked on Mark's for a long moment, for the first time since she'd told him who she was, seeing a vulnerability in his eyes; a realization. He was realizing that maybe he did have a daughter. Maybe he did have a beautiful daughter named Alyssa Marie Davis.  
  
And maybe, just maybe... things may get even more complicated. 


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE talent, of their training facilities, etc, etc... I only own the characters that I have created solely for the use of this story.  
  
Distribution: Ask first.  
  
--------------------------  
  
"So then you're heading back to Canada for a short vacation, then?" Alyssa inquired, standing with her back to Adam as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. The group had to be at Trax at noon, where they would train for several hours. They only had a week left of training and evaluating, then there would be a waiting period of a month before it would be decided who would be signing with the WWE.  
  
"Yeah, I fly out of here at ten tonight." Adam nodded, rising from her bed and walking over to her. "You alright?"  
  
Alyssa turned around to face him and smiled slightly. "Yeah, I'll be fine." She shrugged her shoulders minimally. "Nothin' to worry about here."  
  
"The thing is..." Adam spoke softly, his eyes resting on hers as he spoke, pushing a strand of hair out of her eyes that had fallen from the rest in the ponytail. "I do worry."  
  
"That's crazy. I'm a big girl, Adam." She laughed shortly, slowly shaking her head at him. "I can handle it. Trust me."  
  
He pursed his lips together slowly in thought. "Alright, I'll take your word on that. But—"He paused for a slow moment. "If I take your word, then you have to take my offer and come and get breakfast with me."  
  
Alyssa grinned slowly at him as she stepped out of his reach and crossed the room, looking at herself in the mirror, chewing on her lip slowly and nervously. "Is somebody playing favorites?" She teased with a cute grin.  
  
"Favorites?" Adam walked up behind her, shaking his head slowly as he rest his hands softly on her waist. "No."  
  
"Oh you're not?" Alyssa raised an eyebrow as she turned around to face him.  
  
"I'm not. I only have one favorite." He whispered to her, grinning as he trailed a finger slowly down her cheek. Alyssa looked down as she laughed quietly, feeling a blush slowly creep onto her cheeks. "So was that a yes?" Adam inquired after a moment of silence, seeing the light pink that had worked into her cheeks.  
  
"I, uhm—" Alyssa paused for a long moment before her eyes rest on his. "Yes, I'll go with you to breakfast. Now let's go before Riley wakes up." She laughed softly, taking him by his hand and leading him out of her bedroom.  
  
**********  
  
Mark held his head between his hands, letting out a slow breath. "Sara, we need to talk." He spoke, his voice quiet and defeated as his eyes rest on his petite wife. "We need to talk before you fly out of town tonight."  
  
Sara's forehead creased slowly, hearing the serious tone in Mark's voice. "What do we need to talk about?"  
  
Mark ran his hands over his face before sitting beside her on the bed and taking her hands in his. "I need to tell you something... something that I've been afraid to tell you. It's something that I should've told you from day one. But I didn't, so I need to tell you now." Mark rambled, his head becoming clouded. This was a reality, this was a possibility. He may have a daughter that his wife didn't even know about.  
  
"Mark, honey..." Sara paused, watching his face intently. "You're scaring me."  
  
"I'm not trying to scare you, Sara. But honestly..." He let out a slow breath. "I'm scared, too." Mark paused for a long moment before going on. "Twenty years ago, I had a one night stand with a 17 year old girl. I—I didn't know she was seventeen at the time, but anyhow... she uh, she ended up getting pregnant. Alexis, she told me that she was getting an abortion, she assured me of it."  
  
"Okay..."  
  
"Alyssa entered Tough Enough III. A couple weeks ago, she told me that her name is Alyssa Davis. Her mother was Alexandra Davis. Alexandra was the 17 year old." Mark paused. "She's claiming that I'm her father."  
  
"Hold on. Mark, you have a daughter?" Sara's voice came out shaky, pulling her hand slowly out of Mark's reach.  
  
"Well, I... I don't know yet. I don't know if I--"  
  
"But you've known that it's a possibility, Mark! You've known for weeks and not the slightest mention of this to me!" Sara was growing angry as she rose to her feet. "Our relationship, our marriage is based on trust Mark. You're supposed to trust me enough to confide in me."  
  
"I do. I do trust you Sara, this isn't about trust."  
  
"It isn't, Mark? Then you tell me, what is this about?"  
  
"The reason I didn't tell you isn't because I didn't trust you. But I didn't know if I believed her at first. And now... now I don't know. I don't know how she could've known about this woman if she isn't her daughter. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner. That was wrong. But I was afraid that you'd take it the wrong way. I was afraid you'd think I have something to hide."  
  
Sara nodded silently. "I wish that you would've told me sooner." She admitted quietly.  
  
"I know, and—" Mark's eyes closed slowly as there was a soft knock on the door. "Let me get that..." He spoke quietly, slowly walking to the door.  
  
**********  
  
"Adam, I don't know if this is such a good idea." Alyssa spoke from beside him, looking down at the ground, Adam having already knocked on the door.  
  
"This is a good idea." Adam assured her softly, gently squeezing her hand in his. Her eyes closed.  
  
"If you—" Alyssa instantly quieted as Mark pulled the door open. She let out a slow breath.  
  
Mark sighed heavily. "What're you two doing here?" He asked slowly, glancing back into the room as Sara crossed the room towards him.  
  
"We came here to talk." Adam explained slowly, looking over at Alyssa. "About Alyssa and Alexandra."  
  
"Now really isn't the best time." Mark spoke, his voice firm and with a slight edge to it as he watched the two.  
  
"We're not gonna press. Let's go." Alyssa tugged gently on his hand, all too ready to leave.  
  
"No. Please, come in. I think we all need to talk." Sara spoke from behind Mark. "I think the two of you have waited far too long to have this discussion." 


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE talent, of their training facilities, etc, etc... I only own the characters that I have created solely for the use of this story.  
  
Distribution: Ask first.  
  
--------------------------  
  
Alyssa closed her eyes shortly, shaking her head slightly. She was so hoping to get away without having to say a word, without having to argue, without having to face the truth. Granted, she had wanted somebody to admit for months that Mark was her father, but she was too tired and too frustrated from all of the fighting to have this discussion. And to have this discussion with Mark's wife—her stepmother.  
  
Adam smiled as he led her inside. He was glad that Sara was there to set Mark straight so that they could try to talk this out. He could tell by the look on Alyssa's face, by little comments she would make, that she was hurting from everything. She was hurting from being denied by her biological father. She was hurt by the fact that he had introduced her to the family, as he would any other outsider. She was quite plainly hurt.  
  
"I really don't think there's much for us to talk about." Alyssa sighed quietly as she ran a hand through her hair. She looked between Mark and Sara, standing uncomfortably in the entrance room with Adam.  
  
Mark glanced at Sara, who gave him a stern look. He let out a slow breath before speaking slowly. "Apparently, we do have something to talk about, Alyssa." Running a hand through his short locks.  
  
"Honestly? Yeah, we do have... things to talk about. But I'm not up for it right now. I have other things to do, I—" Alyssa turned for the door, closing her eyes shortly when Adam held her hand firmly, not allowing her to walk away.  
  
"Lyssa."  
  
"Adam, please let's just go, okay?" Alyssa once again made an attempt to leave.  
  
"Alyssa, look at me." Adam spoke firmly, watching her as she turned to face him and reluctantly looked up at him.  
  
"What, Adam?" She pursed her lips together as she looked up at him. Why couldn't he just allow her to leave, and to deal with this when she felt like it? After all, Mark had delayed things, and done things when he wanted to... maybe the apple didn't fall far from the tree.  
  
"You've been waiting for this for months. For him to admit that he might be your father. For him, and for you to talk this out. To figure out what was going to happen. And now, when it's finally happening, when you're both being forced to look at the truth, to look each other in the eye and work this out... you're running scared." Adam's eyes never moved from hers as he spoke firmly, raising his eyebrows as though he was challenging her.  
  
"I am not running scared."  
  
"Then you tell me... what would you call it?"  
  
"I—I just don't want to talk right now is all. I'm tired." Alyssa pulled her hand roughly from his and crossed her arms over her chest before looking down with a creased forehead.  
  
"Bullshit. You wanna know what I think?" Adam inquired, studying the younger girl.  
  
"No, no actually I don't want to know what you think, if that's alright." Alyssa's forehead creased as she started for the door, not daring to look at the couple that sat on the couch together, waiting to see what was going to happen with Adam and Alyssa.  
  
"No, actually it's not alright. You're going to hear what I think anyways. The first time I heard about you wasn't when I walked in to Trax, and you had walked out. It wasn't when I found out you had been trying to quit Tough Enough, and thankfully stayed. I heard about you when you first joined Tough Enough, from Al. He was impressed with you from the start, Alyssa." She simply shook her head, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Look, I really don't think—"  
  
"Let me finish." Alyssa simply shrugged her shoulders, muttering the likes of not caring under her breath. "I heard about your mom before I got to know you better, I knew that she'd died just before you joined the competition. I honestly think that at this point, you're scared to let anything good happen to you."  
  
Alyssa let out a laugh at his words. "That is absolutely... ridiculous."  
  
"Or maybe it's absolutely true." Mark spoke, intruding upon their conversation, watching as Alyssa spun around to face him.  
  
"I don't remember asking you, Mark."  
  
Mark shrugged his shoulders at her comment. "It seems that you're getting a lot of unwanted feedback today. But think about it. Not wanting to stick it through the competition, not wanting to stick this out through the end. You're scared of a happy ending."  
  
"No, I'm not! Okay? I'm not afraid of a happy ending!" Alyssa wiped roughly at her eyes before looking down at her shoes, shifting uncomfortably.  
  
Mark rose to his feet with the urging of his wife and walked over to the girl who stood in the middle of the room. He cleared his throat slowly as his eyes studied her. "Then what are you afraid of? What're you trying to run away from?"  
  
"Do you even know how much I would love a happy ending?" Alyssa laughed shortly before looking up at him, wiping her eyes. "I always believed my mom would fight the cancer, that there'd be a happy ending. I prayed to God every night, asking him to keep her safe. But did He do that?" She laughed bitterly, sniffling back her tears. "What makes you think that He's going to let me fulfill my dreams? Get a WWE contract? Find my father? Have him love me, treat me like he would his other children? Yeah. Right. I'm running away because in the end all I'm going to find his more hurt. And I just can't handle anymore of that. I'm getting out before the hurt is unbearable, unlivable. I was at the point where I was wishing my mother had lived and I'd died. I don't want to be at that point again."  
  
"Alyssa, I—" Mark began, but was quickly cut off when Alyssa raced from the room, and from the rented home. She wanted to get away. She had to get out. She couldn't stand there under his scrutinizing gaze. He knew her pain, her hurt. They all did. And Sara, she was a complete stranger. She had been shocked that Mark had said anything to her. And Adam, she'd only known him for a matter of days and now he knew her deepest secrets. He knew her fears, and so did the man she didn't want to let in; the man she'd been wishing would accept her, but she'd been too afraid to trust or rely on: her father.  
  
Alyssa ran a short distance, tripping over the sand that was only a short distance from the beachfront house that had been rented for the trainers. She pounded her fist into the sand, fighting the wave of tears that had been building in her for so long. If she let them go, if she let that tear fall—she felt as though the tears would never stop falling. She had to be strong. She had to keep that façade, had to act as though she were strong. As though she were fine.  
  
But for who? She was alone on a silent beach, with nothing but the sound of waves and the light singing of birds in the distance. So who did she have to be strong for? The birds? No. She was completely alone, and silently, she cried, rubbing at her eyes fiercely. She hated giving into the tears. She hated that she had no physical control over the thoughts and feelings that had been plaguing her. She absolutely hated it. She hated herself.  
  
She was weak. Why couldn't her mother have survived? Why couldn't her mother be there for her now, when she needed her most?  
  
"Alyssa." She heard a masculine voice speak in a reassuring tone, before feeling a strong hand on her shoulder.  
  
"What do you want?" Alyssa whispered shakily at his voice. Why was he there? Why had he followed her out there? He'd never been there for her before, and now all of a sudden he wanted to fix things. Who did he think he was? He thought he could fix things, make them better. What was he thinking?  
  
"I... I was wanting, no, needing to talk to you." Mark spoke, sitting down beside her in the sand.  
  
"Yeah, well, I have nothing to say to you." Alyssa told him, not looking up from her hands, pulling roughly on her fingers.  
  
"Well I have a lot to say to you." Mark spoke, his eyes never moving from her small form, watching her bite down hard on her lip, trying to hold back the tears that were steadily, but silently falling down her cheeks.  
  
"Well isn't that good for you?" She mumbled, pulling her knees to her chest and staring at her feet.  
  
Mark let out a slow breath before speaking. "I was afraid of what this might do to me. To my career, my marriage..." He listed off slowly, sighing.  
  
"What exactly is the 'this' that you're talking about?" Alyssa tightened her jaw, finding her voice to speak to him.  
  
"You." Mark's eyes locked on hers when she lifted her head up to look at him.  
  
"No different from twenty years ago, except you weren't married. You were afraid of what I might do to your precious career. You were on the rise to fame." Letting out a short laugh, she rose to her feet. She wasn't going to sit here and listen to this.  
  
"That's not fair." Mark spoke, his forehead creased as he, too, rose to his feet, grabbing her loosely by the arm.  
  
"You want to talk about what's not fair, Mark? Is that what you want to do?!" Alyssa yelled, her eyes flaring in complete and total anger. "Then let's talk about what's not fair. Is it fair for a little girl to ask her mother why she doesn't have a father and the rest of her friends do? Is it fair... is it fair that I never had my daddy show me how to ride a bike, or... or that he didn't take me to school on the very first day? Or, let me ask you something, Mark. Is it fair that my dad didn't tell me how beautiful I looked before my prom? Is it fair that the night my first boyfriend broke my heart, that my daddy wasn't there to threaten him with his life?" Alyssa's tears fell as she roughly shoved his chest and took a step back. "Or was it fair that the night my mother died, I mourned by myself! I was alone and my mother was dead, and instead of being assured by my father he was nowhere to be found!"  
  
"Alyssa... Alyssa..." Mark let out a shaky breath, gently reaching out to touch her arm assuringly. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry that I pressured your mother to get an abortion, and that I wasn't there to watch you grow up. I regret not seeing your first steps, and sending you off to school. But—" He paused, running his free hand through his hair. "I'd dreamed about wrestling for so long, about being cheered, and booed. I'd dreamed of the adrenaline that I'd get from doing it night after night. I couldn't give that up so easily."  
  
"Oh you couldn't? Not as easily as you could get your pants around your ankles, huh, Daddy?"  
  
"Alyssa cut me some slack here. I'm trying to step up and fix this, okay?" Mark let out a slow breath, his eyes focusing on her intense ones that replicated his so perfectly.  
  
Alyssa shook her head silently. "Let me ask you one question, and then I'll stop making this so hard for you." She paused for a moment, looking his square in his eyes before speaking. "Was it worth it? Was it worth leaving the family you created behind, to get where you did in the business?"  
  
Mark gulped silently. She could see him grow uncomfortable, uneasy at the question. "Alyssa..." He spoke slowly, searching for the words.  
  
"That's what I thought." Alyssa spoke quietly, before walking around him and leaving. Just what she thought. She was nothing compared to the fandom he'd earned. He was successful, because she wasn't in his life. She was nothing. He had everything he wanted, and he'd earned it without her. 


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE talent, of their training facilities, etc, etc... I only own the characters that I have created solely for the use of this story.  
  
Distribution: Ask first.  
  
--------------------------  
  
Alyssa's eyes closed slowly as she lay on her side, her head resting in Riley's lap. Riley ran her fingers gently through Alyssa's hair, soothing her. "You okay, baby?" She spoke softly, looking down at her friend.  
  
Alyssa shrugged her shoulders lightly, before smiling meekly up at Riley. "Nothin' I can't handle." She whispered, her eyes closing for a short moment.  
  
"Riley! Alyssa!" Danny called as he made his way down the stairs.  
  
"Yeah?" The two girls answered in unison as Alyssa lifted her head up, watching Danny, Micah, and Greg enter the room.  
  
"Get your cute little butts up. We've gotta be at Trax in less than a half hour."  
  
"Of course. Gotta be at Trax." Alyssa whispered, slowly rising to her feet and pulling her hair into a loose ponytail. "Wouldn't wanna keep them waiting." In all honesty, she wished that she didn't have to go to Trax today, because she knew who was going to be there. Her trainer: her father. And after everything that had happened the previous day, she didn't want to face him inside of the ring, or out of it.  
  
*******************  
  
"There's nothing for you to worry about. It's just a training, it's not like he's going to put you on the spot and make you talk in front of everyone. He's not like that." Danny spoke, shrugging his shoulders slowly before placing a tender kiss on her forehead. "C'mon, let's head in there." And with that, the group entered the training facility together.  
  
Alyssa smiled slightly as she said 'good morning' to each of the trainers, tensing up when she was in front of Mark, and mumbling inaudibly before taking her seat in the folding chair. Mark sighed slowly, shaking his head slightly. "Great." He grumbled, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked everyone over. "We're getting down to the wire, guys. There's less than a week left for the five of you two show us why we should pick you. What's special about you. Why the WWE needs you on its roster. So remember that when you're in the ring; step it up."  
  
Lisa, otherwise known as Ivory began to speak. "Today, we're going to be doing a series of matches. We're going to match up each of you with one of your competitors in the competition. And later on, you'll be going one on one with a trainer. I hope you're all ready for this, and I truly believe you are." And with that, Lisa smiled, congratulating them on having made it so far in the competition.  
  
******************* Alyssa drank silently from the bottled water, wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead. They had finished the matches between all of the contestants, and there had been three matches so far between the trainers and the students: Lisa vs. Riley, Greg vs. Dustin, and Mark vs. Danny. The only two remaining were Alyssa and Micah.  
  
"So who do you think they're gonna put you up against?" Riley asked Micah, her eyes resting on him.  
  
"My guess is Al. And I think they'll put Alyssa with Lisa." He told her, his eyes resting intently on her.  
  
Alyssa sat off to herself, watching as Al and Mark entered together. She forced a smile at the sight of them. "Ready for your match, short stuff?" Al inquired, as he and Mark seated themselves at the table she had been sitting by herself at.  
  
"Always am." Alyssa chewed on her lip slowly. In all honesty, she was nervous. This would be her last chance to impress them before they had to begin making their final decision as to who would get the contracts.  
  
"Just a little heads up." Al spoke softly, his eyes resting on hers. "Lisa injured her ankle; you're going to be facing one of us."  
  
"But you still have your match with Micah." Alyssa spoke slowly, chewing on her lip. She didn't like her chances.  
  
"It'll be either Dustin or myself." Mark spoke, his eyes locking on hers for the first time.  
  
Al turned his head to look at Mark. "I think she'd be better off with Dustin." He stated, his eyes locking on his friend's. "As far as size if it were you and her..."  
  
"But if she were to make it to the WWE, she would potentially be facing guys like me, right?" Mark inquired with a slowly raising eyebrow.  
  
Al paused for a short moment before slowly speaking. "Well, yeah..."  
  
"Then it's settled. Alyssa and I will be wrestling one on one in the ring." Mark spoke with a confirming nod.  
  
"No." Alyssa spoke after a moment, her eyes not moving from him. "No, I won't face you."  
  
Mark raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean you won't?"  
  
"I mean that there is far too much involved for me to wrestle with you." Alyssa spoke quietly, picking at her fingers as she let out a slow breath.  
  
"You either face me, or you don't wrestle today."  
  
Alyssa shook her head silently as she ran her hands over her face, mumbling under her breath. "This isn't fair." Why was he doing this? Why was he trying to force her into wrestling him? She didn't understand it, didn't understand his reasoning. What did he think this would prove?  
  
"It isn't about this being fair or unfair." Mark spoke, gently moving her hands from her face so that she was looking at him. "It's about you learning to separate personal from professional. I think that you have amazing potential, and I just want to see that potential first-hand."  
  
Alyssa exhaled slowly, her eyes resting on his. He was being sincere, for the first time since she'd been there she felt as though he was being completely honest and completely genuine. Isn't that part of what she'd been searching for? Honesty?  
  
Alyssa rose to her feet slowly. "I'm gonna head back in there and stretch. Get ready for our match." She managed a small smile; along with his honesty came a sense of respect she hadn't felt for him before.  
  
Mark slowly ran a hand over the back of his neck. "Mind if I join you?" He inquired, raising his eyes to hers.  
  
Slowly, Alyssa shrugged her shoulders. "Not at all." She waited as Mark rose to her feet, and the two walked out of the room... together. 


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE talent, of their training facilities, etc, etc... I only own the characters that I have created solely for the use of this story.  
  
Distribution: Ask first.  
  
--------------------------  
  
Alyssa took a long, slow swig from her water bottle before setting it down on the ground and looking over at Mark. "Can I ask you a question?" She spoke slowly, sitting down on the ground, beginning to stretch before they were to have their match.  
  
"Go ahead." Mark nodded slowly, looking down at the young girl; at his daughter.  
  
"Why did you deny that you were my father, even though you knew you were. After I mentioned her name, after I mentioned all the details... about my mom, about the abortion... you still denied it. Why?"  
  
Mark slowly exhaled at her question, joining her on the blue matted floor, watching her as she stopped stretching to watch him intently. "I was scared, Alyssa. I mean..." His forehead creased slowly in thought, trying to get his head around it all. "For nineteen years I've lived my life as normal, and I've had a daughter out there the whole time. There's so much I've missed out on, and I know that you hate that. But I hate that I wasn't there for you so many of the times. When you've been hurt by people, when your mom got sick. Even if there wasn't a future with your mother and I, I would have wanted to be there for you. And there's nobody to blame but me for that, and I didn't want to face up to the fact that I screwed up. I was afraid of what people finding out that I had a child so long ago... I was afraid of that they would think about me; about what might happen."  
  
Alyssa nodded slowly at his explanation, her eyes never leaving his. "It's weird. To think... that you were actually afraid of something." She whispered, her eyes moving down to look at her hands.  
  
"I was afraid of you." He admitted, gently touching her hands, noting how she'd quieted.  
  
"I'm a scary girl, what can I say?" She forced a laugh before looking over at him. "I was scared coming into this." Alyssa spoke quietly, averting her eyes at the quiet confession.  
  
"What were you afraid of?" Mark inquired gently, resting his palm against her cheek, turning her face to look at him.  
  
Alyssa's eyes closed for a short moment as she exhaled. "I was afraid—I was afraid of you. Of what having a father might mean. I've never had anyone that was like a father to me." She barely shrugged her shoulders, exhaling. "I was afraid that I might... I might actually want that. It's stupid."  
  
"No. It's not." Mark spoke softly, his eyes resting firmly on hers. "It's human. We were both scared, doing everything we could to hide that fear. Maybe it's just the stubbornness." He laughed shortly. "In all honesty..." He whispered, his eyes averting from hers as he heard a few people enter the room, within listening distance.  
  
"In all honesty... what?"  
  
Mark took a deep breath, pushing his insecurities aside. "In all honesty, I might actually want that, too." He whispered. "A daughter."  
  
Alyssa's eyes closed instantly. He'd done it. He'd done... something. He'd stepped up. He'd verbalized himself, and wasn't only saying it in private. He'd said it in such a way, that anyone who was in the room might hear it. She was proud of him. She was proud of her father.  
  
"Thank you." She whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and embracing him in a hug. She exhaled slowly as she pulled back. "Now, you ready to get your butt kicked by a nineteen year old girl?" She grinned at him.  
  
"We'll see about that." Mark laughed, simply shaking his head.  
  
*******************  
  
Alyssa rolled her eyes slowly, laughing into the phone. "You know, I didn't realize until now how absolutely crazy you are."  
  
"You should've known that by now." Adam grinned into the receiver. He leaned back in the recliner, closing his eyes. "So, after the training is over, what're you gonna do?"  
  
"I don't know. Go back to New York until the results are revealed in two months." Alyssa shrugged her shoulders minimally.  
  
"Alone?" Adam's forehead creased slowly at the thought. He knew she didn't want to be alone. In New York she had nobody. Her mother was dead, and that had been her entire family. Well, besides Mark, that is.  
  
"Yeah, alone." Alyssa let out a short laugh. "I'll be fine."  
  
"Come to Canada. Stay with me." Adam offered.  
  
"Adam, I don't know. That's not my style. Living with a guy I've only been dating for a couple of weeks?" Alyssa shook her head slowly at the thought. "No, but thank you for the offer, baby, it's sweet."  
  
Adam sighed softly into the phone. "I just don't like the thought of you being so alone all the time."  
  
"Look, Adam, I'm a big girl. I can handle it." She spoke slowly. "It's sweet that you're concerned, but I'm fine. And if I get lonely, there is such thing as a phone." Alyssa offered.  
  
Adam nodded. She was right. She'd be fine. She was a tough girl.  
  
"Alyssa?" She heard a loud voice call throughout the house.  
  
"Hey babe, I've gotta go. My dinner date's here." Alyssa grinned widely.  
  
"Your dinner date?" Adam laughed into the phone, his eyebrows raising at her words. "And who would you be going to dinner with?"  
  
"My dad." Alyssa whispered into the phone, a grin set across her face. "I'll call you later, sweets. Bye."  
  
"Bye, hun." Adam laughed, placing the phone on the receiver. When had this happened? When had things gone alright with Alyssa and Mark?  
  
"I'm coming, Mark!" Alyssa called, rising to her feet and grabbing her purse. She emerged from the bedroom, and walked to where Mark stood in the hallway.  
  
"Are you ready to go?"  
  
And she was. She was ready to talk to her father. She was ready to start this new part of her life, the part where she was no longer alone. The part where she wasn't ashamed. She was ready to grab her future by the horns, and make things happen. She'd made the decision that she, and she alone, would declare where her future would lead. And she was pretty sure, she had an amazing group of people to be with her for the ride.  
  
"Yeah. I'm ready." Alyssa nodded, smiling slowly. "As ready as I've been in a long time." 


End file.
